Whether you’re an ISEB or ISTQB software tester, developer, or manager, you know that project management is more difficult than it ought to be. Complexities often arise regarding bug tracking, process mapping, resource allocation, systemic integration, and a whole host of other things. What project managers need is an efficient software solution that can help synergize all these variables.

There are some key things that organizations should keep in mind when shopping for project management software. These things are covered in both the ISEB Intermediate and ISTQB Advanced software testing certification teachings, but I thought it would be helpful to summarize them here.

First and foremost is ease of implementation. Ideally, you’ll want to look for plug and play software that does not require the consumption of IT resources to implement. Their time is better spent elsewhere!

Another key feature is the degree to which the software enables the automation of mundane tasks such as managing change requests, tracking issues, communicating deliverables, etc. It is only with automation that true scale can be achieved in environments with limited resources.

Next, the application must be intuitive and user friendly to accommodate a wide range of user skills and knowledge across the organization. Users should be able to do things like create reports, email updates, allocate resources, notify stakeholders, and similar tasks at the click of a mouse. The application should also be able to easily handle all administrative and overhead tasks to streamline processes.

Finally, the application must be able to generate detailed audit trails, particularly as it relates to change management. This attribute will dramatically improve the organization’s ability to identify and fix issues.

In the final analysis, the whole point of deploying organizational project management software is to improve resource efficiency, productivity, and speed-to-market. So irrespective of the desirable features listed above, if the solution does not accomplish these goals, then find one that does!